St. Louis, Missouri Statutory Rape Attorney

MRS §566.032-4: Statutory Rape in the First and Second Degree

In Missouri, it is a crime for an adult to engage in sexual intercourse
with a minor, regardless if the minor was a consenting participant. For
this reason, the Missouri Revised Statutes §566.032 states that a
person can be charged with statutory rape in the first degree if he or
she has, or attempts to have, "sexual intercourse with another person who is less than 14 years old."

If the offender was at least 21 years old when he or she engaged in sexual
intercourse with a minor under the age of 17, he or she could be charged
with statutory rape in the second degree. Given that this is considered
to be a statutory offense, the prosecution does not need to prove that
the defendant used force. An individual cannot legally provide consent
until he or she has reached the age of adulthood, thereby making it illegal
for an adult to have sex with a minor even without the use of force or coercion.

We Can Fight for Your Rights in St. Louis, Missouri

Lawmakers in Missouri are particularly harsh on people who have been accused
of sexual deviance. In fact,
statutory rape in the first degree is a felony
sex crime for which the authorized term of imprisonment is five years to life. The minimum term of imprisonment can be extended to ten years if:

The defendant displayed a deadly weapon

The defendant inflicted serious injury

The defendant subjected the victim to sexual intercourse with more than
one person

Even a conviction for statutory rape in the second degree could result
in up to seven years behind bars.

What are my defense options?

If you’ve been accused of statutory rape, you
do have options. The St. Louis sex crime attorneys at The Hammer Law Firm,
LLC may be able to use one of the following defenses in your case:

You did not know or could not have reasonably known the age of the victim

The alleged sexual intercourse did not take place

Duress

Mental incapacity

Contact The Hammer Law Firm, LLC Today

If you or someone you care about has been charged with statutory rape,
please do not delay in
contacting a St. Louis criminal defense attorney from The Hammer Law Firm, LLC. We provide initial case evaluations that
are free and absolutely confidential. Our lawyers are standing by to take
your call and listen to your case.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

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